Locking mechanism

ABSTRACT

A locking mechanism is provided operable to restrict unauthorised access to a structure such as a house, the locking mechanism being operable to permit external access by means of at least two remote control devices ( 14 ), ( 21 ), one of the remote control devices ( 14 ) being arranged for use by an occupant of the structure and another of the remote control devices ( 21 ) being arranged for use by an authorised official such as a police officer, fire officer or safety officer (e.g. a doctor, nurse, paramedic or ambulance personnel).

The invention relates to locking mechanisms and particularly toelectronic locking mechanisms for use with structures such as buildings.

More and more sophisticated locking mechanisms are becoming available,for example to secure a structural building such as a house, with a viewto providing a high degree of security against unauthorised entry.However, a down side of the increased security is that if some problemsshould arise with the householder within the house, for example becauseof a fire or accident or illness, the householder can actually be put atan increased risk because it is more difficult for rescue services, forexample, to enter the house.

The invention seeks to provide a locking mechanism which can provide ahigh degree of security against unauthorised entry, but facilitatesauthorised entry.

Accordingly, the invention provides a locking mechanism operable torestrict unauthorised access to a structure such as a house, the lockingmechanism being operable to permit external access, by means of at leasttwo remote control devices operable from outside the structure, one ofthe remote control devices being arranged for use by an occupant of thestructure and another of the remote control devices being arranged foruse by an authorised official such as a police officer, fire officer orsafety officer (e.g. doctor, nurse, paramedic or ambulance personnel).

Preferably, the locking mechanism is associated with at least oneinternal safety device, for example a smoke detector or panic button,the locking mechanism being such that if the safety device is activated,this makes the locking mechanism susceptible to an entry signal from anassociated external operating device.

For example, the locking mechanism may be such that if a smoke detectorwithin a house is operated, then this will put the locking mechanisminto a condition in which an operating device specifically allocated tofire officers will enable a fire officer to gain access to the house.

Similarly if a panic button is activated within a house, a doctor,nurse, paramedic or the like can gain access.

The invention includes a structure when fitted with a locking mechanismaccording to the invention.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now bedescribed, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a door fitted with anembodiment of locking mechanism according to the invention; and FIG. 2is a diagrammatic view of a control system for the locking mechanism.

FIG. 1 illustrates an external house door 10 hinged to a frame 11. Aninternal handle 12 is visible in FIG. 1 and there is a similar externalhandle which is not visible in the drawings.

The door can be locked in the closed position in any desired manner, andcan be unlocked from outside the house by pressing a button 13 on a fob14 shown in FIG. 1 to an enlarged scale.

During normal operation of the door, only the fob 14 is required.

However, referring to FIG. 2, the electronic components 15 of the doorlocking mechanism 16 are associated with three internal safety devices,namely a smoke detector 17, a burglar alarm 18 and a panic button 19.

These safety devices may be connected to the components 15 by hardwiring 20, or they may communication remotely, using radio signals forexample. The panic button 19 in particular may operate remotely, sincesuch devices are commonly carried by householders in their pocket orhandbag, for example for the benefit of an elderly or infirm householderwho may suffer a fall or other medical emergency.

In the locality of the house, fire officers are provided with aspecifically coded type of fob 21. Police officers are provided with adifferently coded fob 22 and health officers such as district nurses areprovided with a third type of coded fob 23.

Even if the door is securely locked, activation of the smoke detector 17makes the locking mechanism receptive to an unlocking signal from thefob 21. Activation of the burglar alarm 18 makes the locking mechanismreceptive to an unlocking signal from the fob 22, and activation of thepanic button 19 makes the locking mechanism susceptible to an unlockingsignal from the fob 23.

Thus, whatever situation develops within the house, the appropriateauthorised official can gain entry, but only those appropriatelyauthorised to deal with that particular situation.

Although the invention may be used with any desired locking mechanism, aparticularly convenient locking mechanism is that described in ourco-pending international patent application claiming priority fromapplication GB 0200677.3

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which arefiled concurrently with or previous to this specification in connectionwith this application and which are open to public inspection with thisspecification, and the contents of all such papers and documents areincorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including anyaccompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps ofany method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination,except combinations where at least some of such features and/or stepsare mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanyingclaims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative featuresserving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly statedotherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each featuredisclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent orsimilar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoingembodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novelcombination, of the features disclosed in this specification (includingany accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, orany novel combination, of the steps of any method or process sodisclosed.

1. A locking mechanism operable to restrict unauthorised access to astructure such as a house, the locking mechanism being operable, topermit external access, by means of at least two remote control devicesoperable from outside the structure, one of the remote control devicesbeing arranged for use by an occupant of the structure and another ofthe remote control devices being arranged for use by an authorisedofficial such as a police officer, fire officer or safety officer (e.g.doctor, nurse, paramedic or ambulance personnel).
 2. A locking mechanismas claimed in claim 1, associated with at least one internal safetydevice, for example a smoke detector or panic button, the lockingmechanism being such that if the safety device is activated this makesthe locking mechanism susceptible to an entry signal from an associatedexternal operating device.
 3. A locking mechanism as claimed in claim 2,such that if a smoke detector within a house is operated, then this willput the locking mechanism into a condition in which an operating devicespecifically allocated to fire officers will enable a fire officer togain access to the house.
 4. A locking mechanism as claimed in claim 2,such that if a panic button is activated within a house, a doctor,nurse, paramedic or the like can gain access.
 5. A locking mechanism asclaimed in claim 1, in which at least one of the remote control devicescomprises a fob.
 6. (canceled)
 7. A structure when fitted with a lockingmechanism operable to restrict unauthorised access to a structure suchas a house, the locking mechanism being operable, to permit externalaccess, by means of at least two remote control devices operable fromoutside the structure, one of the remote control devices being arrangedfor use by an occupant of the structure and another of the remotecontrol devices being arranged for use by an authorised official such asa police officer, fire officer or safety officer (e.g. doctor, nurse,paramedic or ambulance personnel).
 8. A locking mechanism as claimed inclaim 3, such that if a panic button is activated within a house, adoctor, nurse, paramedic or the like can gain access.